Barkburr
Small Plant Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 5 ft, leap 20 ft AC: 20 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural) Attacks:Slam +0 melee Damage: Slam 1d3-1 Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft Special Attacks: Attach, lignify Special Qualities: Plant, blindsight Saves: Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0 Abilities: Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int ---, Wis 10, Cha 6 Skills: Hide +2* Feats: Climate: Temperate forest Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-5) Challenge Rating: 01 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 3-4 HD (Small); 5-6 HD (Medium-Size) Barkburrs are a plant lifeform that are spontaneously formed in a forest to defend the woods. They appear like the type of mollusks that grow on rocks and trees. They have a very hard wooden carapace surrounding a soft woody interior body. A cluster of barkburrs lairs in a small group of oddly shaped trees to which they attach themselves, close to a road that supports many travelers. Barkburrs are created by the collective will of the plants in a forest, and exist only to defend the forest. They are highly sensitive to behavior that disrupts the forest and can detect such behaviors within a mile. They react to anything that harms the forest or its inhabitants, as well as anything that a druid would abhor. They will attack anything that has committed such an act or anything of an evil alignment. COMBAT Barkburrs hide on their trees and wait for their intended prey to approach within 20 feet. When the victims are withing range, the barkburrs launch themselves at the foes and attempt to attach themselves. If they successfully attach, they begin the process of lignification. If this attack fails, the barkburr falls helpless to the ground. It is unable to leap from this position and can only crawl away slowly. It can be easily flipped over to reveal its soft underside, which is AC 12 (only +2 natural armor and no Dex bonus). Attach (Ex): A barkburr that hits with its slam attack latches its soft underside onto the opponent's body. An attached barkburr loses its Dex bonus to AC and thus has an AC of 19. Lignify (Ex): A barkburr that has attached its soft underside to an opponent will begin the process of lignification, which will cause a rapid transformation in this victim. The barkburr inserts a sharp, barbed tube into its victim (1 point of damage) in the same round. In the next round, the barkburr begins to inject a clear fluid into the victim. This fluid is poisonous and will begin to transform the victim unless a Fortitude save (DC 13) is made. The barkburr will continue to inject this fluid, and each round the save DC will increase by +1. Killing the barkburr, applying fire, or using force are the only ways to remove the barkburr. Anyone attacking this small creature must be careful about hitting the victim it is attached to. The barkburr's carapace has fire resistance 10, and it it takes 1 or more point of damage it will dislodge itself. It is possible to remove the barkburr by pushing it, but the total strength applied (the victim can help) must be at least 50. Once the victim fails a saving throw and lignification sets it, the barkburr will launch itself from that victim to another. A victim who fails a saving throw will be subject to a rapid transformation. Over a period of ten rounds, the victim is transformed into a small tree, and this will not stop even if the barkburr is killed or removed. Any equipment close to the victim's body will be enclosed by bark, but some items may be left hanging from a branch. All but magic items, coins, and gems will be absorbed into the wood of the tree within a few hours. Once this initial transformation is complete, the victim begins a final transformation as dictated by the will of the forest. This process takes as many days as the victim has levels or Hit Dice. The following table determines the final form: 01-50 ordinary healthy tree; 51-70 adult badger; 71-80 adult giant weasel; 81-90 treant; 91-00 1st level druid. Creatures permanently turned into trees remain in their initial state of transformation, and grow to full size within 3 months. Creatures that transform into anything else have no desire to leave their forest. Creatures that are transformed into druids have the same form and ability scores as before, with a minimum of 14 Wisdom and 16 Charisma, and alignment of neutral. Creatures who have finished the final transformation can only be restored to their original forms by a full wish spell. Before the final transformation is over, the victim can be restored by a wish, limited wish, polymorph other, or diminish plants spell. Neutralize poison can also reverse the transformation, but the victim must fail a saving throw against the caster's DC. Restored creatures will have one negative level for every day spent as a tree. Plant: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing. Not subject to critical hits. Skills: Barkburrs gain a +8 to Hide checks when attached to a tree. Note that druids and rangers have a +2 to their spot checks to notice a hidden barkburr. DIREBURR Direburrs are formed in unwholesome, spoiled woods with the taint of evil. Direburrs are identical to barkburrs in all respects, except that they will attack any humanoid that comes within range. Lignified victims of a direburr always become a dry, lifeless dead tree that can only be restored to its true form by a full wish. Category:Plants